LOTR time

I am watching "LOTR: the two towers" on the telly while I write this - it is sooo long with the ads left in. I didn't get to the theatre when any of the LOTR movies came out so this is my chance to get with the programme and check out what all the hype was about. So far, I've seen 2 of the trilogy and am pretty impressed. I love seeing so much of the NZ landscape and the special effects are spectacular. The acting is great too - love that Orlando Bloom and Viggo Mortenson. Lots of faces I recognise from Shorty St too. Gotta go now as the fight for the two towers is about to begin and I must give it my full attention. 

BBBBBoston!

Frazer is back! Yes, my husband has returned and we are happy to have him home safe and sound. It sounds like his US trip went well and he saw a whole lot in the two weeks he was there. This photo shows the kid-sized Boston cap he brought back for Lockie - modelled by Bella. Most of the time he and his Mum were in Boston visiting his brother and family, but they spent a few nights in Las Vegas before their return - what a crazy place by all accounts. Quite mind-blowing apparently, so little ol' Johnsonville must be quite a shock to come back to. It appears they put everything into aerosol cans over there - my mum-in-law brought back spray-on butter and canned marshmallow fluff! Bizarre but fascinating, and calorie-free - main ingredient being air I think, and a few dozen chemicals and flavourings of course.

Bella has been unwell this week, with the runs and off her food, thank God I'm still breastfeeding as it's the only thing she has taken. Although today, after 3 days of being off-colour, she has been quite perky and actually playing with her toys again. She even ate some chicken at dinner, and a small vanilla ice cream in a cone.

Lockie got a surprise on Wednesday - I had not told him exactly which day Fraz was arriving home so he was not expecting his Daddy to collect him from school that day; apparently he hugged him for a very long time, and then they spent the afternoon together while I was at work and Bella was at Fiona's. He really missed his Dad - more so than Bella and I even. 

Recycling King

Here is my boy - the recycling king indeed. I was ready to put the recycling bin out for collection today when I realised that he had emptied it, and here is the result: a 'weapon castle' in case you need translation. We are not into weapons as such in our house, but I have yet to spot any in the castle anyway. He did this just before bedtime, hence the jammies. It isn't dark til about 8pm these days so summer is definitely nearing. Not that todays gloom and rain would have us believing. I could swear we were promised BRILLIANT weather today, over most of the country. Maybe Wellington is the loser and if we ventured North we could find some sun...naaah. We are staying put today I reckon.

Have just baked some banana muffins for morning tea and the house smells yummy. Bella is snoozing away in her room and I may curl up with a book for a while. I am starting "Farewell My Ovaries" by Wendy Harmer. Another 'chick lit'; my fave I admit. Call me shallow but I like to escape when I'm reading.

Yesterday we had Lily-from-next-door over for the morning, to play with Locks. And in the afternoon we took off to the park and had a great time in the sun. Bella indulged in a little swinging, a little sliding and cooed at the ducks and seagulls. Lockie posed for umpteen photos as I wielded the camera madly. Some of them are actually quite sweet.

Sleepy cat

I wish I were a cat...napping whenever I wanted, coming and going as I liked, and being fed without having to cook anything. Although I wouldn't fancy shitting in the garden...especially after the weather we've had today - rain and drizzle all day long. Still, I got to spend it at the library, which is a great place to hang out on a wet day. Bella spent the whole day with her childminder Fiona, and was reportedly well-behaved and happy - phew!! I thought about her a lot today and missed her little face.

On the telly behind me is a doco about people with facial deformities caused by fibromas, etc. Amazing stuff. People's faces are just so important - first impressions and all that.

I actually should be reading - I'm nearly at the end of "Friends, Lovers, Chocolate" by Alexander McCall Smith. It's a great read but I struggle to empathise with the main character as she is written by a man! Silly I know. I even took the book to work today - kinda odd to take a book to read at the library I s'pose.

Fraz is home in 6 days now, and it seems like forever since he left. I don't think Lockie is coping very well - his behaviour is erratic of late. He's not 100% healthy either - we started him on antibiotics a couple of days ago as his cough was interrupting his sleep. Roll on the long weekend!
 

My Dad

Happy Birthday time again - this time it's Dad's birthday. As the only parent I have left he is extra special to me - and my siblings will agree. Here is a photo dating back 20 years, with one of my sisters. As far as old Dads go he is a great guy, a get-up-and-go kind of man who could NEVER be called a couch potato. When we were growing up he made sure we went away every school holidays as a family, whether camping in New Plymouth or Masterton, tramping anywhere in the lower North Is, house-swapping in Nelson, countless bush walks, beach trips, etc etc! We all spent time with him canoeing, and tramping up, down and around mountains and ranges. I remember numerous Tramping Club trips - especially the really social ones like pine-pulling on the slopes of Ruapehu, and camping at Vinegar Hill. Aaaah, those were the days. A special thanks to Dad for all the great memories I have of my childhood. If it wasn't for you I may not have met my husband and had my two wonderful children. [I met Fraz while doing hut-warden duty up the Whanganui River, aged 17: he was canoeing down, stopped at the hut, and the rest is history!]
So Dad, I love you and wish you a happy birthday xxxxxxxx

Day Out

Lockie has taken to pulling funny faces like this one, whenever I whip out the digital camera to snap a pic...poor kid. Today we took Bella on her first train trip, into the city to visit the Mega Toyworld. What a great store, we spent ages there. Later at home, Lockie went to bed for a sleep - unheard of for him to do this so he must have been feeling poorly. When I woke him he had a slight fever. Maybe yesterday he had a viral rash. Anyway, some brufen lowered his temp and he was a box of fluffy ducks once more. Of course, with the unscheduled afternoon nap he was still bouncing around the house til well after bedtime. Dad phoned to see how we were doing without Fraz and I was able to say 'pretty damn good actually'. We had pizza tonight from Divine in Khandallah. Thumbs up for taste and speedy delivery. Might go and have a tiny nibble more pizza before I hit the sack... 

Busy day

Mixed bag today. Lockie had his friend Lily's sushi party to attend this morning but threw a wobbly at the bottom of her driveway and refused to go any further, so I sent him home and went in to say sorry to her mum. An hour later, a subdued [and really bored] Lockie advised me he wouldn't mind going after all. So I trotted him over again [thank goodness they live next door!], and left him, although he refused to join in the pass-the-parcel that was starting as we got there. Not long after Bella woke from her morning nap and I took her over to collect our boy. He was munching cake along with a lot of little girls but managed to scowl at me when I was spotted. What a mean mum I am for making him go to a party! He scored this lovely Japanese bamboo umbrella as a parting gift.
Not long after, I dropped him off at the local pool and he went swimming with a friend, and her grandmother who is a friend of his Nana's. She treated the kids to McD's after that, with some play time at the park next to the pool in-between.
Bella and I went shopping and I bought a bunch of Christmas pressies from Craftworld - love that place. We too stopped in at McD's and she loved watching all the kids running around the playground. Yeah, I know I'm getting in early for Chrissie shopping but, as Meg pointed out, there are only a handful of paydays left before Christmas.
Lockie was knackered when he got home. He also was sporting a rash on his tummy which he showed me when he was in the bath - it looked like suburn and he cried when he got out - said it was really sore. Don't know what that was [maybe a reaction to the chlorine?] but I put some nappy rash cream on it and spooned some pain medicine into him for good measure and he cheered up. I did press the rash to check for meningitis though...you never know, do you?

Ho hum

TGIF! Actually, most days are the same to me. I'm up early every day [not my choice usually] and the cat yowls til his food dish is put down full.

Today I got all industrious when Bella was down for her morning nap and started to make a banana loaf with the last of the bananas. Unfortunately the first egg I added to the mix was ROTTEN, so that put the kybosh [?] on that and I made chocolate chunk oat cookies instead, which, despite their boring appearance, tasted pretty good. I've never come across a bad egg before, boy they smell disgusting and this one actually exploded when I cracked it.

I am watching Strictly Ballroom on DVD at the mo, so will now go and give it my full attention [as I fold washing], then maybe, just maybe, I'll actually be good enough to give myself an early night. [Yeah right].

Bella had a playdate today - her little friend William came over to our place. There were some cute moments when he patted her head when she was crying and tried to hug her. She was less than impressed but I thought it was adorable.

Gorgeous sunny day today - really summery - gives me hope! I even wore sandals - must get around to painting my toenails tho, cos they aren't too pretty to look at.

Proud Creator

Lockie picked up some twigs after school today and disappeared into his room when we got home - some time later he came out with this 'thing' [his description] which he 'just loves' and can 'imagine what it is' [as we too must do!] It is made of twigs, buttercups, paper and sellotape. Bless his cotton socks!
Bella woke this morning with a strange sounding cough, which the doctor says is 'like croup', only he calls it a virus. A bit vague really, but it should clear up in a few days and in the meantime she may be bothered by it at night. Great. That means I'll be bothered by it too. But I bet she'll sleep through as usual; dear wee dot.
Feel like I had a productive day today - if you can count doing the groceries, one load of washing, cooking up a feast of food for Bella [most to be frozen], filling the car with petrol when I realised it was payday [yay, forgot it was this week!], taking Bella to the doc, and posting off Thank Yous for B's pressies. Wow, I am soooo domesticated! Maybe tomorrow I'll slack off a bit. Oooh, how wicked, God I'm a sad case... 

Pretty as a picture

Bella is modelling her new birthday PP top and Bobux shoes, and holds her new rubber ducky and glo carebear, so thanks to all those who donated to her cause!
Lockie told me today that he knew what the 'olden days' were: "years ago, just after the dinosaurs died out, and when cameras were still not colour". Gotta love kids' logic. He is off to his school disco this Friday - maybe I should teach him a few dance moves...or maybe I should spare him.
Frazer has made contact and everything is good for him. We are coping admirably - maybe better considering I am not working this week as my childminder has a sick baby at her house, so I can't send Bella there. There goes my 'sanity time'.

I gave Bella a tiny toothbrush today - she has two tiny teeth, and she copied me brushing quite ably. Babies are total sponges and brilliant mimics. So much fun.

More Chocolate Cake

Happy 1st birthday Bella! This afternoon she had a little friend over for cake and fun and then after the school pick-up both my kids got stuck into the second birthday cake in 3 days. [Lockie is opening his mouth to blow out the candle, in case that's not obvious.] This cake was a little less pretty to look at compared to the Sesame St cake but the icing on this one was sooo much gooier [?] and I had to hose the kids down afterwards...well, almost.

Still waiting to hear that Fraz and his Mum got safely to Boston - how long does the trip take anyway [they've been gone 48 hours]. Bella is crawling around the house in her jammies looking for her daddy so I will persuade her that it's time for bed, and tuck her in for the night.

I spent a busy morning on the phone taking calls from 3 of my sisters [London, Sydney and Auckland] and my brother in Wanganui. Love having a big family :) Bella was asleep for these calls but I have passed on your birthday wishes to her. She says thanks a bunch.
 

Weird feelings

Am feeling a bit odd - tis the night before Bella's birthday and I am trying to remember all the stuff that went down before she was born. We knew the day she was to be born cos she was so overdue they booked me in for an inducement, and wouldn't do this on a weekend [I asked], so she was born on a Monday. I recall going to bed on the Sunday night and hugging my tummy, telling her we would meet face-to-face the next day. The next morning at the hospital things went real fast with a strong labour and she popped out before her daddy and brother were quite at the hospital. Thank God for my wonderful twin sis - I sure hope my screaming didn't put her off childbirth...
We'll be celebrating tomorrow without Fraz. He still hasn't called to say he touched down in Boston OK. Better not wake me up in the night with a phone call. I LOVE my sleep...yawn. Good night all :)

Fly Away Daddy

Well today Fraz flew out to Boston with his Mum. Lockie and I weren't keen to go to the airport but he needed a lift there so we took him. It was OK I guess. He's gone for about two weeks or so. Didn't take a camera. Hmmm. Hope he picks up a disposable or something.

This lovely creation is Lockie's latest rendering of items from the recycling bin. It involved a helluva lot of sellotape but kept him very busy for a while [and out of my hair!] The trouble now is where do we keep the bloody thing - it's a good two feet wide. Bella is squealing from her highchair - there's only so much she can suck out of a rice cracker before she gets sick of it. I know the feeling. 

Good Times

Today we celebrated Bella's 1st birthday with a lovely lunch at a great cafe in Crofton Downs. I went there with an open mind but serious doubts and sure enough, we'd been sitting down for 5 minutes before Lockie got grumpy and sullen and pouty and things started to look bad. Eventually he got over whatever it was and we had a great time.
Bella was loving the attention and stayed happy and delightful throughout, and, as expected, enjoyed the wrapping paper more than the pressies. Gifts included a bone carving pendant and an engraved gold-plated bangle which she found she could take off and throw around...
Dad and Guy were there, and Guy took a bit of video footage. We all enjoyed it - especially Bella. She wore a dress for the first time since last Christmas and was fascinated with her own bare legs. Tres cute if I say so myself.
A shame Jess was too unwell to fly down from Auckland :(

In The Beginning

Well, I've started on an adventure here and who knows where it will take me. I've seen other people's blogs and wonder if I can stand up to scrutiny as I have no idea what I am doing...just got a clue and went with it.
Tomorrow we are celebrating my daughter's first birthday with a family party. Should be an interesting do. Our five-year-old son is pretty excited. Hope the presents make him happy too, considering there'll be none for him and that'll be a first.